Rotary internal-combustion engine.



F.'H. KILWINSKI.

ROTARY |NTvERNAL coNRusTloN ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1914.

l Y Patented Apr, R, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. H. KILWINSKI.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPucATloN me mwa. 1914.

Lg., Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q/ B i? 4/ ATTORNEYS.

F. H. KILWINSKI.

no1/mv |NTERNAL comusnon ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY a, 1914.1,134,869. Y K Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IM.. "www "Imlmuw'" ED STATE@ NT @FFTGE FRANK HERMAN KILWINSXI, SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF T0 WILLIAM HEUSSER, OFSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 8, 1914. Serial N o. 837,186.

To all whom it may concer/z Be it known that 1, FRANK H. KILWIvsKI,` acitizen of the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, in thecounty of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new andImproved Rotary Internal-Combustion Engine, .of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary motor-sand moreparticularly to an improved rotary internal combustion motor or engine,which has for its object the provision `of a device which simplifies thestructure of engines and reduces the number of parts to a minimum, andin which greater eiliciency is obtained by the omission of complicatedworking parts resulting in lost m0- tion and necessitating theirfrequent repairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rotaryinternal combustion motor which embodies a main and an auxiliary casingeach having a rotary piston operating therein in such a manner as toautomatically supply fuel to the auxiliary cylinder in which it iscompressed and from which it is automatically discharged into acombustion chamber of the rotor of the main engine casing and explodedto impart rotation to the rotor, power being derived from the shaft ofthe rotor in such a manner as to permit the convenient transmission ofpower without the necessity of employing complicated transmissiondevices or gearings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rotary internalcombustion engine having main and auxiliary casings with rotors havingpistons positioned in such a manner as to provide for the completesupply and compression of the combustible gases and ejection thereofinto a combustion chamber carried by the rotor of the maincasing whilethe latter is moving against an abutment fixed within the main casing 01stator in such a manner as to prevent the possible escape of suchcompressed gases whereby when the latter are ignited and combustionensues rotation will be imparted to the rotor, assisted by a slidingblade or piston carried by the rotor. The construction and relativepositions of the parts are such that by reason o f a one-way motion anincreased stroke length is provided for, thus allowing greater expansionof the exploded gases in driving the rotor and avoiding unnecessaryvibration and lost motion.

lVith the above and other objects injview, the invention resides in thepeculiar combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter morefully described, illustrated and claimed, it being also an object toprovide a device which is simple in construction, durable and efficientin operation and not likely to get out of working order.

Reference is tov be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure l'is avertical sectional view of my rotary internal combustion engine taken onthe line A-A of Fig. 3 vertically through the auxiliary casing of thestator and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 2 is asectional view taken on the line p B-B of Fig. 3 and also looking in thedirection indicated by the arrow; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view through the entire device taken on the lines 3 3 of Figs.1 and 2; Fig. et is a sectional view taken on the line 4-1 of Fig. 2;and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the improved engine showing the intakevalve operating means.

As illustrated,` the engine comprises a stator 10 consisting of a maincasing 11 and an auxiliary casing 12 preferably integral therewith, asshown in Fig. 3 of the draw)` ings. or cast in one, of the propermaterials. It will be observed that the casings yforming Patented Apr'.6, 1915.

the stator comprise cylindrical or drum-like shells with the auxiliarycasing of smaller diameter than the diameter of the main casing, whichlatter is supported upon a base 13. The main casing 10 has anintermediate wall 11 flanged as shown at 15 to provide a bearing for theengine shaft 1G and the opposite side of the casing is closed by adetachable plate 17 suitably secured thereto by bolts or other preferredfastening means. This plate 17 is p1 vided with a plurality of outwardlybranching arms 18 terminating in a bearing sleeve 19 in which the shaftis also rotatable in such a manner as to form with the flanged wall 14,a two-point bearing for the shaft which may be provided with suitableanti-friction means to allow the shaft to rotate without undue friction.

Secured to one side of the main casing at the inner face thereof is anabutment 20, the same consisting of a casting or wear-plate extendingfrom a point near the top of the casing at one side to a point near thebottom of the casing at the same side and gradually increasing inthickness from its upper end to its lowerend, thus to provide aninterior cam having its lower end curved as shown at 21 but disposed ona line substantially tangentially to the interior wall of the casing toform a resisting face against which pressure produced by the explosivedischarges operate or are deflected in such a manner as to drive therotor.

The rotor is indicated by the numeral 22 and is keyed to the hollowmotor shaft 16 as shown at 23 concentrically journaled in the stator orcasings in such a manner as to bring a portion of the circumferentialface of the rotor adjacent to the thickest part of the abutment or cam2O in contact with the inner face of the latter to prevent the escape ofcompressed or exploded gases there-between. This rotor comprises acylindrical shell having. a bearing sleeve 24 engaged upon a taperedportion of the shaft and keyed to the latter as heretofore described,while at one side of the sleeve `is a combustion chamber 25 preferablyfluted, as shown, to provide for the radiation of heat and cooling ofthe chamber in the usual manner. The diametrically opposite portion ofthe rotor is provided with a web 26 which, with the combustion chamber,forms a connection between the bearing sleeve and the shell of therotor. rlhis web portion also provides a counterbalance for the rotor toovercome the weight of the combustion chamber in such a manner as toprevent lost motion, the making of the rotor in the form of a shell ofthe desired weight being for the purpose of rendering the structure aslight as possible consistent with strength and durability.

As illustrated, the abutment 2O is secured against the inner wall of themain casing. by fastening screws 27, a dowel pin 28 engaged through thecasing and into the abutment serving to temporarily retain the abutmentin position and to cause the threaded apertures thereof to aline withthe apertures in the casing while the screws are being-inserted andtightened. lln order to hold the rotor keyed to the shaft 16 and againstdis.- placement on the tapered portion, a pair of lock nuts 29 areengaged on the shaft beyond the end of the bearing sleeve 24 opposite tothe flange 15 and between said end and the sleeve 19, thus eliminatingend thrust. A pair of lock nuts 30 are also mounted on the 'shaft 16outwardly of the sleeve 19, and together with the lock nuts 29, preventthe shaft from shifting longitudinally in either direction.

As the .rotor 22 is of smaller diameter iaaaasee than the interiordiameter of the main casing, an interior channel 31 is formed betweenits periphery and the inner face of the casing, which latter is adaptedto be contacted by a sliding piston 32 mounted in a slot 33 in the webportion of the rotor adjacent tc the combustion chamber 25 and thebeveled engaging end 34 of said piston engages the abutment and innerface of the casing while the blade moves outward by centrifugal force.Slidably mounted in the combustion chamber 25 is a sleeve 35 carryingsuitable' packing rings 36 to form a tight joint between its peripheralwall and the inner face of the chamber. terminates short of the end wallof the chamber and is preferably beveled, as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, so as to be disposed in juxtaposition to a spark plug 37 orother igniting device. movably mounting the sleeve in the combustionchamber is to permit the sleeve to act as a packing device between therotor and the abutment, the sleeve being adapted to automatically shapeitself to the interior of the abutment to perfectly seat thereagainstand prevent the escape of gas from the combustion chamber while the sameis being compressed therein. For this purpose the sleeve is providedwith a flange 38 extending into a recess 39 in the rotor at .the mouthof the combustion chamber of the rotor is enlarged at its interior porltion, as shown at 43, to form annular shoulders 44 for Contact by theperipheral wall of the rotor, and said wall is provided with packing orsnap rings 45 contacting with said shoulders to prevent the escape ofthe compressed gases between the rotor and the casing and at the sametime to allow the rotor free rotation in the casing and thickening ofthe walls of the casing adjacent to the interior channel 31 to withstandthe shocks incident to the escape of the explosive gases under pressuretherein.

The auxiliary casing 12 forms part of a gas compressor which includes arotor 46 which is fixed or keyed to the shaft 16, as shown atl 47, andwhich is disposed or mounted eccentrically relative to the auxiliarycasing due to the eccentric formation of the auxiliary casing with themain casing.

This sleeve rlhe purpose of ln this manner the rotary piston of l misas@the gas compressor is disposed to contact with the inner face of theauxiliary casing near its upper portion at one side where it is providedwith a transverse extension 48 having an abutment or abutment plate 49slidably mounted therein and held in contact with the peripheral surfaceof the piston as by means of an expansible spring 50 positioned betweenthe end wall of the extension and the abutment plate. A gas inlet orintake extension 51Y is cast integral with the auxiliary casing andbranches horizontally therefrom beneath the extension 48 so as to beconnected with any suitable supply pipe 52 leadingl from a carbureter orother source of gas supply, there being a narrow passage 53 between therotor and the inner face of the casing immediately beneath the intakewhich gradually increases in width toward the bottom to provide achamber 54 in which the gas is compressed, such chamber graduallynarrowing toward the top or point of contact of the rotor with theabutment plate. The rotor is provided with a diametrical spider 55 inone side of which a piston 56 is slidably mounted and normally forcedoutward by a coiled spring 57, the piston being mounted in a recess 58in the spider and positioned between the inner end of the spider and theend wall of the recess. Adjacent to the piston 56 but separatedtherefrom is a transverse and substantially radially extending passage59 which communicates through the peripheral wall of the rotor with thechamber 54 and which also communicates with the bore of the hollow shaft16, as shown at 60.

Fixed in the end of the shaft 16 adjacent to the auxiliary casing is avalve stem guide 61 in which the stem 62 of a valve 63 is slidablymounted and through which it extends, said valve being adapted to engagean internal annular seat 64 in the bore of the shaft so as to unseatinwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, but being limited in suchmovement by a plug 64 threaded in the bore of the shaft and having areduced eX- tension 65 with which the valve contacts. The stein operatesthrough the guide which carries a packing 66 near its inner end aroundthe stem and mounted in the stem guide around the stem is an expansiblecoiled spring 67 which forces outward on the enlarged portion of a valvelever 68 to normally hold the valve 63 seated or closed. The valve lever68 is in the form of an angular member having an enlarged portionslidable in the valve stem guide and rigidly connected to or formedintegral with the stem, while the outer end of the lever carries aroller 69 with its stub shaft or pivot in the form of a screw 70 topermit the roller t0 be replaced-when Worn, positioned at right anglesto the axis of the machine. The ad jacent end of the auxiliary casingcarries a plate 71 which serves to close the chamber 54, the same beingremovably secured in position by screws 72 so as to permit convenientremoval thereof for purposes of inspection and repair. The rotatingparts are made of such material and preferably cast strong enough toovercome 'centrifugal force, the construction thus being simplified byreason of the particular mounting of the shaft, the absence of crankshafts, fly wheels, reciprocating pistons, connecting-rods and theemployment of only one valve instead of a multiple of valves asgenerally employed. To form a tight joint between the rotor 46 at thesides of the latter and the walls. or plates 41 vand 71, packing or snaprings 73 are engaged incircular grooves in the side walls of said rotorand communicating with the outer faces thereof in such a manner as toprevent the escape of the compressed asesA between said parts. The plateor wall 1 is provided with spaced radially extending arms 74 bearing acam 75 which forms a connection between their inner ends and which isdisposed in the path of the roller 69 in order to repress the valve stemagainstl the action of the spring 67 for the purpose of unseating thevalve 63 and permitting the return of said valve to an unseated positionduring the rotation of the shaft and piston, while the cam is stationaryWith the casing. The exhaust of the motor is indil cated by the numeral76 and is preferably formed'by an integral extension of the main casingprovided for the attachment of an exhaust pipe 77.

The operation of the device is as follows The engine is rotated orturned over one revolution which causes a suction from the carbureterthrough the intake 51 until the full supply or charge of gas in thechamber 54 is effected, the parts having been rotated a completerevolution from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings andthe pistons 32 and 56 moving outward by centrifugal force and itsspring, respectively, to contact with the inner faces of the main andauxiliary casings, respectively. After a charge is thus effected theengineis again turned over another revolution in such a manner as topermit and cause the piston 56 to move outward, as indicated in thedotted line position in Fig. 1 of the drawings,` and thereby interceptthe chamber 54 to compress the gases between it and the abutment plate49, this action also creating a suction on the carbureter behind thepiston 56 in such. a manner as to draw in a new supply of gas throughthe intake 51.

. The gas compressed in front of the piston 56 is compressed at agreater degree as the piston approaches the position shown in solidlines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the rotary piston of the gas compressorhaving a slight clearance from the casing adjacent to the abutment plate49. rlhese compressed gases will thus be forced through the passage 59int-o the hollow shaft 16 and together with the actuation of the valveby means of the cam, will operate to unseat the valve and permit theescape of the compressed gas into the combustion chamber 25. The springtending to normally seat the valve is of suliicient tension to keep thevalve closed for substantially the first threefifths of the revolutionof the piston of the compressor, and then as'the valve is unseated thegas escapes under considerable force through alined radial passages 78through the shaft and shell of the combustion chamber or cylinder intothe combustion chamber,` the rotor being in the position shown in Fig. 2of the drawings, and the sleeve of the combustion chamber forming anair-tight connection between the rotor and the abutment 2O to 'preventthe escape of the compressed gas.

When the piston 56 substantially approaches the position shown in Fig.1, the valve lever 68 will be so positioned with respect to thestationary cam as to allow the seating of the valve, the cam at thistime being out of the path of the roller which it engages and in aninstant of time, through operation of Vthe ignition system,.thecompressed gas in the combustion chamber is ignited while the chamber isdisposed adjacent to the portion 21 of the abutment. At this time thesliding piston 32 will be held outward by centrifugal force and thespring in contact with the inner surface of the main casing, and formwith the blade guide a restricted space or chamber which will cause theforce of the explosion or pressure of the burned gases in back of thepiston 32 to impart rotation to the rotor, and as soon as the piston haspassed the exhaust port 76, exhaust gases will escape to relieve thepressure therein and this same action will continue as the partscontinue to rotate in unison.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 4 l. ln a rotary motor, a cylindrical casinghaving an exhaust at the top, a rotor journaled in the casing and havinga closed space at one side of the casing and an internal channel in theremaining portion, a combustion chamber in said piston, a kslidingpiston in front of the chamber and carried by the rotor to move outwardin contact with the inner surface of the casing, means or supplyingcombustible gases to said chamber, means for igniting the same to exertforce against the piston :for imparting rotation to the rotor, saidgases escaping through the exhaust at the top, and a sleeve in thecombustion chamber movable outward to orm I insa-,eee

an air-tight joint between the rotor and the contacting part ot thecasing.

2. A. rotary engine embodying a stator including a main casing, a rotorjournaled in said casing, a hollow shaft disposed axially to the casingand rotatably journaled to support the piston for rotation therewith, anexhaust port for the casing, an abutment at one side of the casing forcontact with the rotor at a portion of the latter, said abutmentgradually increasing in thickness toward one end, an integral auxiliarycasing at one side of the main casing and of reduced diameter relativeto the latter, a rotor also fixed to the shaft and journaled in theauxiliary casing eccentrically relative to the same, said latter rotorhaving a radial passage communicating with the hollow shaft, slidingpistons carried by the rotors to engage the inner faces of therespective casings, an intake for said auxiliary casing, a valvelongitudinally mounted in the shaft and normally seated to resist gasescompressed in the auxiliary casing between the rotor thereof and casingand in rontof the piston carried by the rotor last named, and means forunseating the valve at a predetermined time to discharge the gases thuscompressed through the shaft and into the combustion chamber forexplosion behind the piston ot' the main rotor of the main casing.

3. rllhe combination with a casing and a rotor rotatably ournaledtherein and of reduced diameter relative thereto to provide asurrounding channel ofmeans for intercepting the channel between thecasing and rotor, an exhaust for the casing, an auxiliary casingeccentrically disposed relative to the irst mentioned casing, a rotorjournaled in the i auxiliary casing concentrically relative to the lirstmentioned casing and rotor whereby an internal chamber tapering towardits ends is provided in the auxiliary casing, a

sliding piston carried by the second-named rotor and adapted uponrotation of the latter to draw iiuid supply into the chambertherebehind, an axial member having a passage leading from the secondnamed rotor to the first-named rotor and having an internal i seat, avalve coperating with said seat and opening in the direction of therst-named rotor, spring means normally seating said valve, a cam at oneend of the auxiliary casing, and an angular extension on the valve stemto contact with the cam for unseating the valve and supplying said fluidunder pressure for driving the rotors.

1. A. rotary internal combustion motor, the

combination with a main casing, a shaft journaled in the casing and arotor carried thereby to rotate therewith; of an auxiliary casing at oneside ott' the main casing, a rotatable gas compressor in the auxiliarycasing, a combustion chamber in the rotor and communicating with the gascompressor through said shaft, means in said chamber to form an airtight union with the interior of the casing, a normally seated valvecontrolling the supply of compressed gas to the combustion chamber,coperative means earried by the valve' and one casing for posi tivelyunseating the valve harmoniously with the compression of the gas in theauxiliary easing and a gas intake for the compressor, in which latterthe gas is compressed and discharged into the combustion chamber torotate the latter upon being ignited.

5. In a rotary internal combustion motor, the combustion with a maincasing, a shaft journaled in the easing and a rotor carried thereby torotate therewith; of an auxiliary easing at one side of the main casing,a rotatable gas compressor in the auxiliary casing, a combustion chamberin the rotor and communicating vwith the gas compressor through saidshaft, means movably mounted in the combustion chamber to contact withthe interior of the main casing during the interval of rotation of therotor therein to forman air tight iuiion with the interior of thecasing, a normally seated valve controlling the supply of compressed gasto the combustion chamber, coperative means carried by the valve andauxiliary casing for positively unseating the valve independent of thegas pressure and a gas intake for the compressor, in which latter thegas is compressed and discharged into the combustion chamber to rotatethe latter upon being ig-- nited.

6. In a rotary internal combustion engine, a stator including a maincasing suitably1 supported, a rotor concentrically journaled therein andhaving a combusti on chamber, a sleeve movably mounted in said chamberand adapted tormove outward to contact with the interior of the casingat a predetermined point to prevent the escape of the compressed gastherefrom just prior to the ignition thereof, an abutment in the casingcomprising an independent plate tapered toward its ends and securedtherein and against which pressures produced by the explosion of gasesin the chamber act to drive the rotor, an auxiliary casing extension atone side of the main casing, a rotor eccentric-ally journaled therein torotate in unison with the rotor in the main casing, an intake for theauxiliary casing, said second-named rotor being adapted to cause asuction in the auxiliary easing to draw a` supply of gas therein andcompress the same upon the succeeding revolution thereof, an exhaust forthe main casing and a valve communication between the auxiliary casingand rotor thereof for supplying gas under pressure to the combustionchamber of the first-named rotor in which the' same is ignited.

7. In a rotary internal combustion engine, a stator including a maincasing suitably supported, a rotor journaled therein and having acombustion chamber, an abutment in the casing comprising an independentplate secured therein and against which pressures produced by theexplosion of gases in the chamber act to drive the rotor, a sleeveslidably mounted in said chamber and adapted to move outward to contactwith the interior face of the abutment during the rotation of the rotorto lprevent the escape of compressed gas from the combustion chamberuntil the same has passed beyond the abutment'plate, an auxiliary casingexten sion at one side of the main easing, a rotorl eccentricallyjournaled therein to rotate in unison with the rotor inthe main casing,an intake for the auxiliary casing, said secondnamedrotor being adaptedto cause a suction in the auxiliary easing to draw a supply of gastherein and compress the same upon the succeeding revolution thereof, anexhaust for the main casing, a hollow shaft rotatably supporting therotors in the casings, a normally seated valve axially mounted in thehollow shaft for controlling the supply of gas under pressure to the vcombustion chamber, means in the shaft for regulating the unseating ofthe valve and means cooperative with the outer end of the valve forunseating the same at each revolution of the shaft.

8. In a rotary motor, a cylindrical easing open at one side and havingan exhaust at the top, a rotor journaled in the casing and having aclosed space at one side of the casing and an internal channel in theremaining portion, said rotor comprising a shell partly open at the openside of the casing, a cylinder having a combustion chamber inv saidrotor said cylinder communicating with the atmosphere at the open sideof the casing, a sliding piston in front of the Combustion chamber andcarried by the rotor to move outward in Contact with the inner surfaceof the casing adjacent the internal channel, means for supplyingcombustible gases positively at predetermined intervals to said chamberin rear of said piston and means for igniting the same between one endof the closed space and the pistons, whereby the pressures produced willact on the piston for imparting rotation to the rotor, said gases whenspent escaping through the exhaust at the top as the piston approachesthe other end of the closed space.

9. In a rotary internal combustion motor,

a stator including a main casing suitably supported and an auxiliarycasing formed therewith, said main easing having a. dividing wallbetween it and the auxiliary casing and having its opposite side open,said main casing also having an interior enlargement etl producingyshoulders, a hollow shaft journaled in the casing, a rotor fixed to theshaft and rotatable in the main casing in contact with the enlargement,means to pre vent end thrust of the shaft, said rotor having acombustion chamber communicating with the hollow portion of the shaftand being adapted to contact with the interior wall of the main casingduring a portion of its rotation, means for forming an airtightconnection between the rotor and casing, means carried by the rotor tointercept the space between it and the casing during the remainingportion of the rotation thereof, a rotor fixed to the shaft andoperating in the auxiliary casing to' rotate in contact with the casingduring a portion of its rotation, a fuel inlet for the auxiliary casing,means to form an airtight connection between the rotor and auxiliarycasing, means carried by the rotor of the auxiliary casing to interceptthe space between the two to draw the vsupply into the casingtherebehind and compress the same upon the succeeding revolution of therotor, communication being established through the rotor between theinterior of the auxiliary casing and the hollow shaft and externallyoperated means mounted in the hollow shaft for controlling the supply ofthe compressed fuel to the combustion chamber for ignition.

l0. In .a rotary internal combustion mo tor, a stator including a maincasing suitably supported and an auxiliary casing formed therewith, saidmain casing having a dividing wall between it and the auxiliary casingand having its opposite side open, said main casing also having aninterior enlargement producing shoulders, a hollow shaft journaled inthe casing, a rotor fixed to the shaft and rotatable in the main casingin contact with the enlargement, means to prevent end thrust of theshaft, said rotor having a combustion chamber communicatinsges@ ingwith` the hollow portion of the shaft and being adapted to contactwiththe interior wall of the main casing during a portion of its rotation,means for forming an airtight connection between the rotor and casing,meanscarried by the rotor to intercept the space between it and thecasing during the remaining portion of the rotation thereof, a rotorfixed to the shaft and operating in the auxiliary casing to rotate incontact with the casing during a portion of its rotation, afuel inletfor lthe auxiliary casing, means to form an airtight connection betweenthe rotor and auxiliary casing, means carried by the rotor of theauxiliary casing to intercept the space between the two to draw thesupply into the casing therebehind and compressthe same upon thesucceeding revolution of the rotor, communication being establishedthrough the rotor between the interior of the auxiliary casing and thehollow shaft, a plug in the hollow shaft and having a stem, said shaftbeing formed with an interior seat, a" bearing at one end of the shaft,-a valve cooperating with said seat and slidable through the bearing, aspring carried by the bearing, a re` movable angular member at one' end-of the stem for contact by the spring whereby outward pressure isexerted there-against to' normally seat the valve and a cam carried bythe auxiliary casing and overlying the angular member to actuate thesame for unseating the valve to lpermit the escape of compressed fuelinto the combustion chamber for ignition behind the intercepting meansthereof. n

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK HERMAN KlL'WlNSll. Witnesses:

W. R. ScormLD, 'll. OlDoNNELL.

